8 stretches to make you glow

Forehead smoother

THIS really does help smooth out those ageing tramlines.

Sit straight and close your eyes. Now gently endeavour to smooth your brow by taking your scalp back and dropping your eyebrows.

Place your interwoven fingertips in the centre of your forehead.

Inhale deeply. While you exhale slowly, counting to seven, slide your fingers over your brow to your hairline. Relax and repeat at least five times. Now look at yourself in the mirror. The results are immediate and striking.

Jaw firmer

A TWO-PART exercise, the first does wonders for firming the jaw and getting rid of a double chin, while the second corrects that horrid turkey neck.

Sit with your back straight. Grin from ear to ear while letting your head carefully drop backwards. Keeping it there, still grinning, open and close your mouth very slowly three times. Slowly return to an upright position, relax and repeat twice.

Sit straight and gently drop your head back. Gently take your bottom set of teeth upwards, as if towards your nose. Hold this position for five. Relax and repeat three times.

Neck toner

TO FIRM and tone the jaw and neck and release tension.

Sit either cross-legged or kneeling. Keep your spine straight.

Close your eyes. Drop your head gently forwards, then carefully roll your head to the right, gently and slowly roll it backwards, roll it to the left, then slowly forwards. Make three circles to the right. Follow with three

to the left.

Scalp massage

THIS massage releases tension and is excellent for stimulating healthy blood flow to your hair’s roots.

Sit in a comfortable position. Spread out your fingers in your hair so they’re lying on your scalp. Clasp your hair. Slightly pull it and move the scalp by gently pulling and making three circles with the hair. Transfer your hands to another area and repeat. Keeping doing this until the entire scalp has been massaged.

The lion

THIS stimulates blood flow to the face and tones the face, neck and eye muscles, as well as skin around the eyes.

Sit straight in a kneeling or crossedlegged position. Place your hands on your knees.

Inhale deeply, then exhale forcibly and simultaneously stick your tongue out, aiming to curl it over your chin, stretch your hands out wide and open your eyes as wide as possible. Hold for a count of ten, inhale and relax. Repeat three times.

Eye exercises

SOME of my students say they no longer need reading glasses after doing these. Sit straight. Imagine an enormous clock in front of you. Look upwards towards 12 o’clock and hold for three seconds, then move your eyes to 1 o’clock and hold for three. Go all the way round the clock, then do it anti-clockwise. Take two pieces of print, one quite large that you can see without glasses, the other you can only just about manage reading in a good light. Look at them three times a day in excellent light: 1) at reading distance; 2) with your arm stretched out as far as possible; ) as near to your face as you can bring it before it goes blurry. Do this every day. Afterwards, rub your palms together to warm them. Place them over your closed eyes. Breathe calmly and count to 0.

Alternate breathing

RELIEVES the tension that plays havoc with your skin, hair and energy flow.

Sit comfortably crossed-legged or kneeling. Close your eyes.

Place your right thumb on your right nostril, your next two fingers on the bridge of your nose and your next finger on your left nostril. Support your right elbow with your left hand. Unblock your right nostril. Keeping your left one blocked, inhale for five.

Block the right nostril. Keeping both nostrils closed, hold the breath for five. Unblock your left nostril. Slowly exhale for five. Inhale through your left nostril for five. Block both nostrils. Hold for five. Then exhale through the right nostril for five. Continue for ten rounds.

Pose of a plough

STIMULATES blood flow to your face, scalp, brain and eyes. Please don’t attempt if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure or have head or neck problems.

Lie flat on your back. Inhale, bend your knees. Slowly and carefully lift your bottom from the floor, taking your legs over your head. Place your hands on your lower back for support. Aim to have your stretched out legs parallel to the floor.

Relax in your maximum position. Hold for ten. Your eventual aim is to have your toes on the floor and your fingertips stretched back to touch your toes.

Gently lower your knees to your forehead and slowly roll down your back one vertebrae at a time until your bottom reaches the floor. Stretch both legs in front of you. Relax.